THEMIS-VIS observations of clouds in the martian mesosphere: Altitudes, wind speeds, and decameter-scale morphology

McConnochie, T. H.; Bell, James F.; Savransky, Dmitry; Wolff, Michael; Toigo, A. D.; Wang, H.; Richardson, M. I.; Christensen, P. R.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.07.021

Cited by 54 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…However, in this study we concentrate on the large number of clouds in a narrow ±20° latitude band around the equator. The equatorial clouds cluster in geographic longitude such that many are near −110°E and −10°E, consistent with previous observations [ Clancy et al, ; Määttänen et al, ; McConnochie et al, ; Vincendon et al, ]. A third equatorial population is detected near 90°E, which does not have a clear precedent.…”

Section: Results: Coupling To the Upper Atmospherementioning

confidence: 99%

Martian mesospheric cloud observations by IUVS on MAVEN: Thermal tides coupled to the upper atmosphere

Stevens

Siskind

Evans

et al. 2017

Geophysical Research Letters

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We report observations of Martian mesospheric ice clouds and thermospheric scale heights by the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph on NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission. The clouds are observed between 6 A.M. and 8 A.M. local time using mid‐UV limb observations between 60 and 80 km tangent altitude where ice particles that scatter sunlight can appear as detached layers near the equator. The equatorial longitudinal distribution shows populations of clouds near −110°E and −10°E as well as a population near 90°E, which does not have a clear precedent. The cloud populations indicate a wave 3 pattern near 70 km, which is confirmed by independent mesospheric temperature observations. Scale heights 100 km above the clouds derived from concurrent Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph (IUVS) observations also reveal a wave 3 longitudinal structure, suggesting that the temperature oscillations enabling the formation of mesospheric clouds couple to the upper atmosphere.

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Section: Results: Coupling To the Upper Atmospherementioning

confidence: 99%

Martian mesospheric cloud observations by IUVS on MAVEN: Thermal tides coupled to the upper atmosphere

Stevens

Siskind

Evans

et al. 2017

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…The presence of daytime CO 2 clouds at altitudes 60 < z < 90 km has been recently confirmed by Mars Express [ Montmessin et al , 2006, 2007; Määttänen et al , 2010], Mars Global Surveyor [ Clancy et al , 2007], Mars Odyssey [ McConnochie et al , 2010] and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter [ Vincendon et al , 2011]. Those measurements yield a wealth of details on the composition, morphology, variability of mesospheric CO 2 clouds.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Gravity waves, cold pockets and CO₂ clouds in the Martian mesosphere

Spiga¹,

González‐Galindo²,

López‐Valverde³

et al. 2012

Geophysical Research Letters

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[1] Many independent measurements have shown that extremely cold temperatures are found in the Martian mesosphere. These mesospheric "cold pockets" may result from the propagation of atmospheric waves. Recent observational achievements also hint at such cold pockets by revealing mesospheric clouds formed through the condensation of CO 2 , the major component of the Martian atmosphere. Thus far, modeling studies addressing the presence of cold pockets in the Martian mesosphere have explored the influence of large-scale circulations. Mesoscale phenomena, such as gravity waves, have received less attention. Here we show through multiscale meteorological modeling that mesoscale gravity waves could play a key role in the formation of mesospheric cold pockets propitious to CO 2 condensation.

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“…Thus, these observations of the UDM may be partially contaminated by these clouds. However, based on the published observations of Martian mesospheric CO 2 clouds by MGS [ Clancy et al ., ], Mars Odyssey [ McConnochie et al ., ], Mars Express [ Montmessin et al ., , ; Määttänen et al ., ], and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) [ Vincendon et al ., ], we view any contamination of dust retrievals as isolated and unlikely to substantially impact the spatially broad and temporally persistent signature of the UDM. These works find CO 2 clouds to be generally above the altitude of the UDM (typically 70–80 km) and confined to specific latitude (tropical), longitude (between Tharsis and Syrtis Major), and solar longitude (near‐aphelion) zones.…”

Section: Tes Limb Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

High‐altitude dust layers on Mars: Observations with the Thermal Emission Spectrometer

et al. 2013

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[1] Limb-scanning observations of Martian atmospheric dust with the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) over 3 Mars years indicate two distinct altitude layers with persistent maxima in the dust mixing ratio vertical profile. The first, lower maximum in the dust distribution profile is the "high-altitude tropical dust maximum" (HATDM) centered at 20-30 km, previously detected by the Mars Climate Sounder (MCS). Through the observation period, the HATDM followed a repeatable seasonal cycle with a brief absence in early northern spring and reached its highest altitudes and largest amplitude during the dust storm season in southern spring and summer. The HATDM is likely maintained during the day by a combination of convective and topographic updrafts and then degraded at night by scavenging from water ice clouds. The second, upper maximum in the dust distribution profile, which we refer, for convenience, to as the upper dust maximum (UDM), is centered at 45-65 km and is only detected in daytime observations. We see additional evidence of its presence in the limited number of MCS aerosol opacity retrievals available at these altitudes. Comparable dust mixing ratios are nearly absent from this altitude range at night. This upper maximum is generally a northern hemisphere phenomenon, peaking in amplitude in northern summer and nearly absent from the TES observational domain during the dust storm season. We suggest topographic updrafts over Martian volcanoes, small particle size, diurnal transport associated with thermal tides, and scavenging by water ice as probable key factors in the creation of the UDM.

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THEMIS-VIS observations of clouds in the martian mesosphere: Altitudes, wind speeds, and decameter-scale morphology

Cited by 54 publications

References 55 publications

Martian mesospheric cloud observations by IUVS on MAVEN: Thermal tides coupled to the upper atmosphere

Martian mesospheric cloud observations by IUVS on MAVEN: Thermal tides coupled to the upper atmosphere

Gravity waves, cold pockets and CO₂ clouds in the Martian mesosphere

High‐altitude dust layers on Mars: Observations with the Thermal Emission Spectrometer

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THEMIS-VIS observations of clouds in the martian mesosphere: Altitudes, wind speeds, and decameter-scale morphology

Cited by 54 publications

References 55 publications

Martian mesospheric cloud observations by IUVS on MAVEN: Thermal tides coupled to the upper atmosphere

Martian mesospheric cloud observations by IUVS on MAVEN: Thermal tides coupled to the upper atmosphere

Gravity waves, cold pockets and CO2 clouds in the Martian mesosphere

High‐altitude dust layers on Mars: Observations with the Thermal Emission Spectrometer

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Gravity waves, cold pockets and CO₂ clouds in the Martian mesosphere